Gondo stumbled back quite a distance once Aura let go of him, but he did not appear to be fleeing.
虽然亚乌拉一松开手，龚德就立即退开了一段距离。但是他并没有试图全力逃跑的样子。

A very rational move, Ainz mused. A misstep could have led Gondo to make the emotional choice of fleeing. That would not have ended well for him. However, Gondo as he was now qualified as someone who could be negotiated with.
很理智的举动，安兹感慨道。一个弄不好，龚德就很可能有听从感性选择逃跑。若是演变成这样对龚德来说也不会是什么好结果的吧，但现在这样的话，作为交涉对象他是合格了。

“Then, shall we start again? I understand your caution, but I -- we have no intention of harming you. Rather, we would like to be friends with you.”
「那么就再重复一遍了喔？虽然能理解你的警惕，但我——不，我们没有加害你的意图。倒不如说想缔结良好关系呢」

Gondo did not respond. As expected, he was still peeking at Ainz with doubt written all over his face.
龚德没有反应。果然还是满脸狐疑地在窥视着安兹这边的态势。

“In particular, my nation would like to sign a treaty of friendship with the Dwarven Kingdom. Therefore, we have no intention of harming any Dwarven citizens.”
「特别是我和我国想与矮人国签下友好条约。因此没有伤害矮人国居民的打算」

“And what do you mean by a treaty of friendship?”
「友好条约是什么？」

“...Pardon me. It’s best not to mention national-level issues to an individual who cannot represent a nation, don’t you think?”
「……很遗憾，对于无法代表一个国家的个体，最好还是不要提这些国家层面的话题为好，不是吗？」

“Mm. That’s right, ah, no, I mean, it is as you say--”
「唔。说的，啊，不，如您所言——」

“--Don’t worry. Both phrasings are fine. Dealing with someone who stumbles over their words is tiresome.”
「——不用在意。无论是哪种措辞也没有关系。讲话变得结结巴巴也很教人困扰呢」

Ainz’s relaxed answer drew the first bitter smile from Gondo ever since they had met.
安兹轻松的对应，让龚德自看见安兹以来露出了第一次苦笑。

“Thank you very much -- Your Majesty. And if the words of this girl -- this young lady are true, I take it you came to this city for that purpose?”
「非常感谢——魔导王陛下。如果这边的少女——小姑娘所言属实的话，想去都市也是为了这个目的吗？」

“Indeed, that is so. But Gondo, why don’t we leave the tunnel first? Talking to the Lizardman who came with us might be a good idea. You’ve heard of him before, haven’t you? Also, I’d like to discuss the matter of the Quagoa with you.”
「正是如此。但是龚德啊。不先离开坑道吗？去和与我们同行的蜥蜴人谈谈也不坏。你也曾听闻过他的传闻吧？另外关于掘土兽人也需要谈谈」

“Hmm…”
「哼嗯……」

Gondo narrowed his eyes at Aura.
龚德瞄了一眼亚乌拉。

Aura smiled, as though to say, “who, me?”
亚乌拉就像是在问「什么？」似得浮现出了笑容。

“Alright. It seems this little lady has a lot of trust in you. And it’s clear that that you’re no ordinary undead.”
「好吧。看来这位小姑娘确实是非常信赖汝的啊。并非寻常的不死者这点是毫无疑问的啊」

Gondo walked before them, while Aura and Ainz followed him through the tunnel.
龚德走在前面，后面安兹和亚乌拉并排沿着坑道前进。

“That’s right, might I ask you a question?”
「对了。我有一个问题想问问你可以吗？」

“What is it?” Gondo replied as he turned back to look at Ainz.
「是什么？」

对回过头来的龚德安兹发出了疑问。

“I would like to know more about the runic characters and the craft related to them.”
「我想了解关于符文技术的事」

Gondo’s brow bunched up, his eyebrows squishing up into steep slopes.
龚德的眉间紧紧皱了起来，眉毛也拧成了陡峭的角度。

“What do you want to know about runes? What’s there to ask?”
「想知道关于符文的什么，有什么想问的」

The unhappiness was plainly audible in Gondo’s voice.
龚德流露出了明显的不快。

Until recently Ainz could sense confusion and fear while talking to him, but there was no anger. In other words, Gondo’s rancor was entirely due to that simple question. Did he recall a bad memory concerning runes, or was this some sort of secret that could not be revealed to non-Dwarves?
直到刚才和安兹交谈的时候能够从他身上感受到混乱和恐怖，但这其中并没有愤怒的情绪。也就说这是因为仅仅一个问题而产生了怒火。是因为想起了某些关于符文的糟糕回忆吗，还是由于这碰触到了矮人的不传之秘呢。

Ainz hesitated. Should I continue asking?
继续问下去真的好吗，安兹感到困扰。

Gondo was the first Dwarf he had encountered. Upsetting him was not wise. However, if he could learn the source of the anger, it could prove beneficial when negotiating with the Dwarven Kingdom.

Of course, that assumed Gondo’s anger did not spring from a personal reason.
对方是第一个遇见的矮人，这时候让他情绪不佳并不是什么好事。然而，如果这时能够获知他愤怒的理由，在和他祖国交涉时也会更有利吧。假如这不是由于他个人原因而产生的感情的话。

Ainz coldly considered whether he needed to eliminate Gondo as he shared what he knew about the runes. Granted, most of that was parroted from Tabula Smaragdina.
安兹一边冷酷地思考了视情况是否需要灭口掉龚德，一边说出了关于卢恩符文自己所知的知识。虽然大多都是从翠玉录那里照搬来的就是。

The truth was that he did not know much. He knew how many different characters there were and that they were a form of writing, but that was it.
虽说如此实际他所知并不多，字母的数量，是一种什么样的文字，仅此而已。

He barely remembered the individual meanings of each character, so he had to fumble through the description.
由于几乎不记得文字各自的意思，只能含糊地一带而过了。

In contrast, a dramatic change occurred in Gondo.
但是龚德的反应却是剧变的。

He halted in his tracks, and turned back.
他停下脚步，回过头来。

His face was twisted in a grip of a completely different emotion. He was overflowing with excitement.
脸上是一副与之前完全不同的扭曲表情。其中流露出的是兴奋吧。

“You… who are you… no… the Sorcerer King… an ageless, eternal undead being… lost knowledge…”
「汝到底，究竟是什么人……不……魔导王……存在了悠久岁月的不死者……失落的知识……」

He could hear Gondo muttering to himself. There was no meaning in his words. It appeared to be an unconscious response.
能听见龚德嘴里嘟嘟囔囔的声音。并不带有意图，似乎只是下意识的反应。

Ainz held out a hand to stop Aura, who was anxious and had been preparing to make a move since Gondo did not answer immediately. It would be best to let him think through this first.
安兹伸手制止了由于龚德没有立刻回答，而感到焦躁地准备行动的亚乌拉。这时候还是让他充分思考一下为好吧。

After Gondo got himself together, he studied Ainz intently. His attitude still spoke of wariness towards Ainz, but it seemed to have been supplanted by some other emotion.
龚德总算整理好语言了吧，他目不转睛地认真看着安兹。他的态度虽然说还在警戒着安兹，但更像是被其他的感情所支配了。

“I know of more runes than these. There are 50 lesser runes, 25 middle runes, 10 upper runes, and 5 top runes, for a total of 90. That said, many of them have been lost, and only a few are left. Exactly how many esoteric and divine-class runes there are is the stuff of legends.”
「老夫所知道的卢恩符文文字不止那些。下位文字五十个，中位文字二十五个，还有上位文字十个，最上位文字五个一共有九十个。虽说如此由于已经失落了很多个，现在留存下来的也没有那么多了。至于里文字和神位文字有多少个就只是传说之类的了」

“Really now… there might be some differences, but the runes I know of look like this. Do you recognize them?”
「是吗……虽说可能有些不同？但我所知的卢恩符文文字应该是这样的，认得出吗？」

Ainz traced a rune from his memory on the ground.
安兹一边探索着记忆一边在地面上画出了文字。

“Ho! This is one of the middle runes, Lagu.”
(TL Note: this is an Anglo-Saxon rune meaning “lake”.)
「嚯！这的确是中位文字的一个，拉古【译注：盎格鲁撒克逊弗托克文，含义是湖】」

Although Ainz did not know why there were so many of them, it was certain enough that some of them matched the ones which Gondo knew.
虽然不知道为什么会有那么多文字，但也有与安兹所知一致的文字是无误了啊。

“I understand. Then, please continue telling me about the runes.”
「明白了。那么就继续关于符文技术的话题吧」

What Ainz really wanted to know was who taught this knowledge and information related to other players . However, that question would be best addressed to a historian. For the time being, he would build a knowledge base with other related information.
安兹真正想知道的是这技术是由谁所传授，类似这些与玩家相关的信息。不过这些去问历史学家更好，先从其他相关信息开始巩固吧。

“About 100 years ago, the Dwarves exported rune-carved magical weapons to a human nation to the east of these mountains -- the Empire. However, the flow of such weapons stopped after that. What is the reason for that?”
「大概百年前矮人还在向这山脉东侧存在的人类国家——帝国那里输入雕刻有卢恩符文的魔法武器。但是从那以后，这些武器的输入就中断了的理由又是什么呢？」

What he really wanted to know was whether a player died 100 years ago, but pushing too eagerly for such information could end up exposing him. Ainz had been contemplating this question for some time now, and it seemed like a good question since it did not run the risk of leaking anything about himself.
其实真正想知道的是百年前是否有玩家死亡这种信息，但如果过于单刀直入提问的话，自己这边的情报也就会泄露出去了。这个问题是安兹之前就深思熟虑好的，从不会泄露己方情报这一点上来看应该是个好问题。

Gondo’s face darkened. He paused briefly, and then continued walking.
龚德脸色变得阴暗。随后停下的脚步再次迈了出去。

“This will take a long time. Let’s talk as we walk.”
「这会花很久。边走边说吧」

“Umu...”
「哼嗯……」

For a while, the only sound audible in the tunnel was the footsteps from the three of them.
一时间，只有三人的脚步声回荡在坑道里。

He’s probably silent because he’s smoothing over the gloominess in his heart.
他之所以陷入沉默也是为了梳理内心的愁闷吧。

“Firstly, I know of someone with the title of Rune Inventor.”
「首先，老夫在熟人中间有这么一个名号。符文技术的开发师」

Was it a self-proclaimed title?
那是指其实是自称这么回事吗。

Gondo continued speaking without waiting for Ainz to respond.
没等安兹回应龚德便继续说了下去。

“Dwarven magic items have always been made with runes. But 200 years ago, we were attacked by the Demon Gods, and the last remaining royals left our Kingdom to join the fight against them. Technology from the outside flowed in and as a result, runes were regarded as outdated.”
「从前矮人的魔法道具都是使用卢恩符文来制作的。但是两百年前王都遭到魔神的攻击，最后残存的王族离开祖国，加入讨伐队伍的时候，外部的技术哗地一下子流入了进来，从此卢恩符文也被认为是落后腐朽的了」

Gondo produced a sword from his pack and gave it to Ainz. There was a runic character on the blade’s body.
龚德从口袋中取出一柄剑，递给了安兹。剑身上刻有一个卢恩文字。

“This is Cuern, a lesser rune which means ‘sharpness’. When carefully engraved, it creates a magic sword. Its effect is to increase the weapon’s sharpness and makes it easier to grievously wound the enemy.”
「这是库恩，是代表锐利的下位符文。仔细篆刻上去的话就会变成带有魔法的剑。效果是增加锐利程度，容易给对手带来重伤」

“This is a very basic effect on magic weapons, no? The time it takes to inscribe a rune depends on the amount of damage the rune adds. That said, I’ve heard that it should not take long to complete a low-end weapon, am I correct?”
「很基础的魔法武器效果呢。伤害能力上的加成——根据附加的强度不同制作时间也会随之改变。我听说如果是最低限度的话，应该不用花费很多时间就能完成的吧？」

“That is exactly why runecraft fell behind the times. The same item takes three times longer to make with runecraft as compared to other methods. From a mass-production point of view, they aren’t even in the same league as the enchanted weapons of mankind.”
「那正是符文技术落后于时代的地方啊。用符文技术制作同样的东西，所花费的时间却要多整整三倍。从量产性上讲完全不如人类的附魔技术」

Gondo sighed deeply.
龚德深深叹了一口气。

“Thanks to superior technology from the outside, the number of runesmiths who could inscribe runes gradually dwindled. That was because everyone felt that it was better to become a magic caster, who could perform enchantments.”
「拜传入的优越技术所赐，会雕刻卢恩符文的符文工匠越来越少了。因为大家都认为成为能使用附魔技术的魔法咏唱者更好」

That was probably why the flow of weapons into the Empire had stopped. Ainz understood that much. In other words, the Dwarves’ ancient traditions and crafts had died out.
这就是对帝国武器的输入消失的理由吧，安兹理解了。也就是说古老的传统工艺被荒废了。

Gondo narrowed his eyes.
龚德挑起眼角斜视起来。

“Still, abandoning our Dwarven techniques was utterly foolish! More to the point, runecraft has its merits too! For instance, you don’t need to spend money on it!”
「但是，荒废吾等矮人所拥有的技术是愚蠢透顶的！而且说到底，符文技术也是有优点的。首先，不需要花费金钱！」

Gondo’s voice echoed through the tunnel. After realising how dangerous it was to get worked up in a place like this, he took a deep breath. That, in turn, allowed him to speak more calmly.
龚德的声音在坑道里嗡嗡作响。注意到自己是在多么危险的地方放任感情高涨的龚德，再次长长叹了一口气。不过也因此后续的话冷静了下来。

“Did you know? The typical enchantment costs a lot in reagents and supplies.”
「知道吗？一般的魔化是要花很多材料费的」

That was correct. Ainz had once heard that half the market price of magic items came from the ingredients.
正是如此。曾经听说魔法道具市场价格上的一半都是材料费。

While the production cost for magic items was abnormally high, one could ignore markups from suppliers and retailers when calculating their price. That was because the Magician’s Guild did not collect administrative fees -- probably because they felt that those were included in their yearly dues -- and so magic casters could sell directly at no further cost, or negotiate directly with their clients.
虽然成本异常的高，但实际是在排除了物流业者，零售业者存在的前提下计算价格的。这是因为魔法师公会自身没有收取手续费——可以认为是因为都包含在了征收年费这种形式里了吧——所以魔法咏唱者可以无偿进行直接贩卖，或者采取魔法咏唱者和客户直接交涉的形式。

Therefore, when one sold them through a magic item dealer, the price would go up.
因此当通过零售的形式流通的时候，价格会稍微有些上涨。

“However, in contrast, rune-empowered items have hardly any material costs.”
「但与之相对，通过矮人的卢恩符文进行魔化则几乎不需要材料费」

“That’s amazing!”
「那真是太棒了！」

Ainz suddenly leaned forward.
安兹猛地探出了身。

He had agonized over this expense many times, both as the adventurer Momon and as the ruler of Nazarick. Therefore, the wonderful idea of something being “almost free” was very dear to Ainz’s heart.
作为冒险者飞飞，作为纳萨力克的支配者，不知道为了支出烦恼过多少次。因此对于无需花钱
这种事有多么美妙安兹自然是有刻骨铭心的感受。

That was why he could not understand it. In truth, Ainz would never have allowed such a technique to die out.
所以无法理解。说实话，如果是安兹的话绝对不会认为这是该被废弃的技术。

“...Are there any other flaws?”
「……还有其他的缺点吗？」

“Ah, those do exist. Mainly, they’re hard to produce. Taking too long to make is one thing, but there’s too few people who are suited to becoming runesmiths as well. According to the people of the Empire, there’s fewer of them than those who can become magic casters.”
「啊，要说有也是有的，特别是生产力实在是太弱了。制作耗时太久是一方面，具有符文工匠适应性的人也实在太少了。按照从帝国的人那里听来的消息，比能够成为魔法咏唱者的人还要稀少」

“Hm. I have a question. While you said that runes fell out of fashion 200 years ago, why does the title of rune inventor still exist? Isn’t it too late for that sort of thing? Or is that normal for the Dwarven lifespan?”
「哼嗯。有一个疑问呐。虽然你说卢恩符文从两百年前就被认为是落伍于时代的技术，那么为何现在还要挂上符文技术开发师的头衔呢？不是太迟了吗？还是说考虑到矮人的寿命这是很平常的事吗？」

Gondo did not respond, so Ainz asked another question.
龚德没有回应。安兹再次提出问题。

“What sort of runes are being developed now?”
「现在在开发什么样的符文技术？」

Ainz took several steps forward, coming up alongside Gondo.
安兹赶上几步，走到了龚德的身旁。

Gondo’s face was fixed forward, with none of his passion from before. He simply answered Ainz’s question with another question.
盯着前方迈步前进的龚德脸上没有了先前的热情。只是对着安兹的询问回以另一个问题。

“Why do you wish to understand runecraft?”
「为什么，汝会想要了解符文技术？」

Answering a question with a question implied that he did not want to give a proper reply. If he could give the answer Gondo sought, he should be able to uncover what he was hiding. After all, he had gone from addressing him as “Your Majesty” to “you”. This must surely be an important question.
以问题回答问题也就是——并不情愿回答呢。如果能给出龚德所希望的答案的话，多少也能搞清楚他隐瞒的事情吧。毕竟至今为止以「陛下」相称的人，现在也转而用「汝」来称呼了。这肯定是个重要的问题吧。

However, they were not close enough that they could bare their hearts to each other. And more importantly--
只是现在还没有到达可以推心置腹的关系。而且说到底——

Why is he trying to tempt me with this knowledge? Is it a trap? Or does he not know the importance of the information he holds? ...If it really is a secret art, he should understand what that means, right?
（为什么这家伙要制造一种情报呼之欲出的氛围？是陷阱吗？还是说不知道自己所掌握的情报的重要性？……既然是秘不示人的技术，其重要性还是有所了解的吧？诶？）

It was somewhat confusing, but for the time being, he would give him the explanation for his motives which he had prepared beforehand.
虽然有点混乱，但总之还是先抛出作为表面动机而准备好的说辞吧。

“It’s because these runes differ slightly from the ones which I know of. You understand how someone can be interested in the historical background and spread of runecraft, no? If so, I hope you can answer my question.”
「因为这与我所知的卢恩符文有些许区别啊。那么对其历史背景，技术的衍生之类的情况会产生兴趣也是很自然的吧？那么，接下来就请你回答我的问题了」

Gondo looked away, and fell into contemplation. They continued walking forward in silence for a while.
拉回视线的龚德陷入了思考。一时间谁都无言地继续着前行。

Just as Ainz was starting to get restless, Gondo finally answered him.
经过足以让人焦躁起来的时间，龚德终于是开口了。

“I’m now experimenting with reducing the time it takes to performing runic enchantment, as well as a way to mass produce them. However, that is only a means to an end. My final objective is to develop techniques that make runes essential. In other words, I want to make runecraft unique and able to stand the test of time.”
「现在正在实验的是，符文工匠魔化耗时的缩短。还有就是寻找能够大量生产的方法。但那只是手段并不是最终目的。最终目标是非卢恩符文不可的技术的开发。也就是让符文技术拥有在将来也不会被淘汰的特殊性」

In other words, he wanted to add value to runes. The boss of any company would understand that motivation. When developing a product, it was quite common for that point to be repeatedly emphasized, to the point of revulsion.
也就是想给卢恩符文增加附加价值吧。这种想法是社会上层人士所期望的。特别是商品开发时被反复强调到让人生厌的地步也十分正常。

“Hoho. That’s pretty amazing research, is it not? How is your progress?”
「嚯嚯。这不是非常了不起的研究吗。那么这研究的进展如何呢？」

He did not think he would actually get an answer, but Ainz had asked that question anyway because he was confused on one point. Namely, that anyone who was developing a new technology like this should be a VIP in the Dwarven Kingdom.
虽然认为不可能得到回答，但仍然要继续发问的原因是安兹有一个疑问。如果是开发如此创新技术的人物，在矮人国应该也是VIP才对。

I have no idea why he’s out here by himself, collecting samples in such a dangerous place. Shouldn’t someone like him be better guarded?
(无法理解他为什么会独自一个人，在这样危险的地方进行采掘作业啊。如果是重要人物的话配备警卫也不奇怪啊？)

Ainz’s question was immediately answered.
安兹的疑问立刻就得到了解答。

“None at all. There hasn’t been any progress,” Gondo mumbled in a depressed tone. “People who use runecraft to make magic items are called runesmiths, but I’m nowhere near amazing enough to be addressed by that title. I can’t even do what an apprentice should be capable of.”
「完全没有啊。完全。一点进展都没有」龚德神情阴郁地咕哝道。「使用符文技术制作魔法道具的人被称作符文工匠，而老夫却不是可以称得上符文工匠这样名号的了不起的人。就连完成学徒所该做的都做不到」

Eh? Ainz mouthed in surprise. Did that not mean that someone who could not even apply proper runes was trying to advance the field of runecraft? This was an utterly ridiculous situation.
诶？安兹暗暗惊讶道。那这样一来岂不就变成了，连符文技术都无法顺利应用的人，却在开发符文技术这种荒唐的情况了吗。

Could he really make any breakthroughs like this, or was this very normal for them?
这么做真的能开发出新技术吗。还是说这其实很正常？

No, this could not possibly be normal. If it was normal, Gondo would not have been so depressed. In other words, he too must have felt that he was merely fumbling around.
不，不可能正常的。如果那很正常的话龚德也不会露出那么阴沉的表情了。也就是说他自己也认为这只是件乱来的事。

In truth, Ainz was in quite a quandary. He had no idea how to make use of Gondo.
老实说现在安兹非常困惑。完全搞不清这个叫龚德的男人到底能不能派上用场。

“I’m not talented. I can carve runes, but it takes too long for me to do so… although, they say all runesmiths have to pass through this phase before they can grow. But other runesmiths progressed forward instead of being stuck at a plateau like me.”
「老夫没有才能啊。虽然能够刻上卢恩符文。但是消耗的时间实在太长了……虽然符文工匠们都说经历过这个阶段，然后才得以成长。但是其他符文工匠都不像我一样裹足不前，而是继续进步了啊」

Gondo drooped his head powerlessly.
龚德无力地垂下了脑袋。

“I’m no good as a runesmith. I’m just a useless descendant that my great father left behind.”
「老夫作为卢恩符文工匠是无能的。是优秀的父亲留下的无能子孙」

I see, Ainz mused. So his problem was simply a lack of talent.
原来如此，安兹想到。他的问题只是单纯的在于没有才能吧。

After considering the knowledge from this world and that of YGGDRASIL, he was quite sure that this was the case.
把在这个世界得到的知识和YGGDRASILII中的知识全部调动起来考虑的话，也确实是这么回事吧。

One needed ten other levels in certain job classes before being able to take levels in the runesmith career. However, if his overall level cap was 11, then he would not be able to gain further levels as a runesmith. And if he had only one level of runesmith, he would only be able to learn skills of no great import.
修得符文工匠这个职业的前提是需要某种其他职业达到十级。他修得了那个职业的十级满足了要求，终于获得了一级的符文工匠的职业。但是他的总级别极限是十一级，接下来在符文工匠上已经无法再提升等级了。而且符文工匠只有一级的话，只能获得起不了什么大作用的特殊技术。也就是说是这么种状况。

There was nothing Ainz could do to help Gondo, so he said nothing else.
安兹没有什么能为龚德做的。所以他也没有再说什么。

There were times when comforting someone could save them, and times when all they could do was give up.
安慰既可以拯救一个人，也有只能扫兴收场的时候。

If Ainz were in Gondo’s situation, he would not want someone he had met for the first time to comfort him either.
如果安兹处在龚德的立场，也不会想要从第一次遇见的陌生人那里得到安慰。

“...Is that so. Speaking of which, do all Dwarves have the goal of advancing runecraft and developing new techniques for it?”
「……是吗。话说回来，发展符文技术、开发新技术是全体矮人的目标吗？」

“No, I’m the only one who does that,” Gondo replied, with a terribly lonely laugh. “All the runesmiths have given up on their craft. There’s nobody left who wants to break free of the current state of runecraft and develop new technology for it. They all feel that it’s alright to abandon it.”
「不，只有老夫一人」龚德寂寞地笑道。「符文工匠们已经全都放弃了。想从至今的技术中脱胎，开发新技术的人一个都不剩了。他们都认为，即使就这么荒废了也无所谓」

“I see… Then, there’s something I’d like to know. What will you do after developing new runecraft techniques?”
「原来如此……那么我有一件事想知道，你开发出新技术后想做什么？」

“What will I do? I just want to use runecraft to enchant things and increase the number of runesmiths. Runes are an amazing technology. It would be a terrible waste to let them die out.”
「做什么？ 我只是想用符文技术进行魔化，让符文工匠的数量增加而已。卢恩符文是了不起的技术。就这么消失了实在太浪费了」

“Is anyone helping you in this?”
「有帮助你的人吗？」

“No. Like I said, almost all the runesmiths have given up their craft and spend their days drinking and cursing bitterly about how it’s going to die out with their generation. I’ve tried to talk them around in the past, but they all rejected me.”
「没有。就和刚才说的一样几乎所有符文工匠都已经放弃了，整天就知道酗酒。嘴里念叨着这是在自己这一代要消失的技术。虽然老夫以前也曾想过说服他们，但却全都被拒绝了」

“...Hm. Well, the weak perish. It’s only natural for useless technology to vanish.”
「……唔。弱者必亡。没有用处的技术消失也是理所当然的事情」

Gondo suddenly glared at Ainz, but his gaze lost its strength within moments.
龚德向安兹露出了强有力的视线，但他一瞬间就失去了力量。

As he watched Gondo hang his head and move on, Ainz contemplated the value of runes.
看着低头继续走去的龚德，安兹思考起了卢恩符文的价值。

Frankly speaking, he had no interest in them beyond their historical involvement with players.
说实话，除了是否与玩家相关这些历史问题，他已经毫无兴趣了。

However, abandoned arts could be developed on the cheap, and a brief investment might not be a bad idea. The concept of not having to spend money was also very attractive. In addition, he wanted to collect rare technologies.
只是，既然是已经被抛弃的技术花费也就低，进行一下投资是不是也不错呢。特别是不用花钱这一点实在太棒了。而且一想到是稀有技术就不禁想要收集呢。

Also, if other players appeared, one could use their interest in runes as an excellent lure.
而且如果出现其他玩家的话，和安兹同样对卢恩符文产生兴趣的时候也能成为不错的诱饵吧。

“...I have a question or two. What basis do you have that techniques like what you mentioned earlier can be developed? What I heard just now sounds like empty fantasies made by someone who knows nothing about the craft.”
「……我还有一点疑问呢。是基于什么根据，你才会认为那种技术是能被开发出来的呢？从刚才的话看来，只会让人觉得那是在无知的情况下做出的空谈呢」

“That’s not true! Well, it’s true that I don’t have the talent to be a proper runesmith. But my father, and my father’s father -- my grandfather -- were both the top runesmiths of this country, and they served the last royal -- the Runesmith King -- as his right and left hands. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. I’ve read the literature and theses my father and grandfather left behind. I’m sure it’s possible! My father confirmed my theories on his sickbed. He told me it was difficult but not impossible!”
「不对！老夫的确没有才能，没能成为符文工匠。但是，老夫的父亲，还有父亲的父亲——祖父曾是这个国家的首席符文工匠，作为那最后的王族、符文匠王的左右手而工作。我曾经用自己的双眼看到过。通过阅读家父和祖父留下的技术文献，可以断定那绝非不能实现的！家父在病床上也肯定了老夫的想法。他告诉老夫，虽然极其困难但却绝不是做不到的！」

Gondo looked like he was going to cough up blood with his words as tears welled up at the edges of his eyes.
仿佛要连同鲜血一起倾吐出来的龚德的眼角渗出了泪珠。

The feelings and thoughts he had long kept inside of him had finally burst forth.
是长久积累的情绪和想法爆发出来了吧。

Though that torrent of emotion crashed against him, Ainz remained unmoved. While Gondo’s words made him hope that the Dwarf’s research would bear fruit, the fact was that Ainz merely wanted access to rare techniques which might have otherwise been lost. If Gondo could not deliver concrete results, then Ainz would give up on him.
虽然和那汹涌而出的感情相撞，但安兹的心并没有动摇。这样的话虽然希望他的技术开发可以成功，但内心来说也只不过是，希望能够得到说不定会失传的稀有技术这种程度而已。如果无法实现也就只好放弃了。

“It’s true that I’m useless as a son! Still, I don’t want to let the art which my ancestors passed down die out! I won’t let the glorious name of my father vanish from the history books, no matter what I have to do!”
「确实作为儿子的老夫是无能的！但是，老夫不想让祖先留下的技术消失！无论如何也不想让光辉闪耀的家父的名字从历史上消失！」

And then, those words struck a chord with Ainz.
然而那句话却撼动了安兹的内心。

He too wished to preserve all the things left by his comrades in Ainz Ooal Gown. He wanted them to endure for all time.
对自己而言，也想让安兹·乌尔·恭的同伴们所留下的东西永远实实在在地留存下去。

In that instant, Ainz could understand Gondo’s feelings deep in the marrow of his bones.
在那一瞬，安兹刻骨地了解了龚德的感受。

His affection gauge maxed out in a flash.
对他的好感一下子飙升了起来。

At the same time, he understood why Gondo went on and on about runecraft.
同时也理解了他之所以会对符文技术滔滔不绝的理由。

To him, runecraft was dead, or perhaps, close to death. Thus, he had no reason to hide it. For all he knew, he might have wanted to let it spread as far and wide as possible, so it could survive in one way or another. Of course, he did not know if he had thought that far ahead.
在他心中的卢恩符文是早已死去的、又或者说是已经濒临死亡的技术。所以压根就没有隐瞒的理由。说不定还打算将它尽可能地流传出去，从而使它能够继续残存下去的方法也不一定啊。虽然不知道他是否想到了那程度。

“...Forgive me. This might anger you, but I hope you will permit me to say this. From my point of view, you are you, and you are neither your father nor your grandfather. Am I wrong?”
「……抱歉。虽然可能会使你生气，但还是容我说一句。在我看来认为你就是你，而不是你的父亲或祖父啊？」

An inexplicable blend of emotions appeared on Gondo’s face. It was hard to tell if he was angry, hurt or touched. But it eventually faded into dejection.
龚德露出了用愤怒、悲伤、还是感动都难以形容的复杂表情。随后又渐渐变成了寂寞的神情。

“--Your Majesty, I am very grateful to you. But my reason for living has already been decided.”
「——魔导王陛下，非常感谢您。可老夫的生存之道，早就已经决定好了」

“Then, allow me -- no, the Sorcerous Kingdom to provide the financial assistance for your endeavours. Allow me to become an investor and aid you in the advancement of runecraft.”
「那么资金方面的支持就由我——不，魔导国来提供吧。让我们成为你的资助者，协助你的技术开发吧」

Gondo’s eyes went wide, and he exclaimed in shock:
龚德睁大了双眼，慌张地叫了出来。

“You, are you serious? This, this is incredibly good fortune… this is unbelievable!”
「汝、汝是认真的吗？这样的事简直好过头……那个，无法相信」

There must be some catch to this unimaginably tempting offer. Anyone would think that way. Ainz understood how Gondo must feel.
充满诱惑的话语背后肯定有其后手，这一点无论在哪里都是一样的呢。安兹对龚德的心情真是感同身受。

“Well, all I can say is that I hope you can believe me. However, someone like you who isn’t a runesmith probably won’t be able to develop those techniques you were talking about, am I right?”
「我所能说的也只有希望你能够相信了吧。只是，仅靠不具备符文工匠能力的你，要开发刚刚所说的那些技术怕是不可能的吧？」

Gondo’s mouth pressed flat, and he went silent.
龚德的嘴唇抿成了一条线，一言不发。

“Therefore, I wish to recruit all the runesmiths in the Dwarven Kingdom to my country, to work on developing runecraft techniques under your direction.”
「于是我想要让矮人国的所有符文工匠都移居到我的国家，并在你的指挥下开发符文技术」

“What, what does that mean?”
「这、这是什么意思？」

“It means exactly what it implies. I will gather all the runesmiths and compare their knowledge to serve as the prototypes for new techniques. For that reason… I hope you can help me lay the foundation for this work. Is that impossible?”
「就是字面上的意思。动员全体符文工匠，把知识总结比较来形成新技术的雏形。正因为如此……希望你能够协助我来挖墙角，不可能吗？」

Gondo considered it, and then replied
龚德仔细思考了一番，虽后开口道。

“No, it should be doable. Almost all the runesmiths have given up on their craft, but there should be a lot of them hoping for a chance to shine.”
「不，我想没有那回事。符文工匠虽然几乎都自暴自弃了，但对于出现机会还抱有一丝希望的人应该也还有很多才对」

“And then you will move their hearts… then, Gondo. How about it? Will you help me? WIll you give your soul to me? How far are you willing to go for me?”
「然后动摇他们的内心……那么龚德哟，如何？要协助我吗？愿意向我献出灵魂到什么地步？」

“What?”
「什么？」

“It will be very difficult to revive an almost-lost art if you do not focus all the runesmiths on a single objective. This is why you cannot slack off on the recruitment of talent. I want to bring all the runesmiths to my country. Thus, it is quite likely that I may have to employ certain... unsavory methods. This may lead to my collaborators performing actions which might be termed treason to this country.”
「如果不把所有的卢恩工匠的力量集中于同一目标上的话，要让即将失传的技术复兴是很难的吧。所以人才的征召决不可半途而废。要确确实实地把所有的符文工匠都拉到我国来不可。所以多少会采取一些上不了台面手段的可能性很高。这样一来说不定就要强迫我的协助者做出背叛整个国家的行为了啊」

“What, was that it? The answer is simple. If you want my soul, then take it all, the whole thing. It is a small price to make runecraft live forever.”
「什么啊。原来是这种意思啊。那么回答很简单。如果只是老夫的灵魂的话，那就全都拿去好了。如果能换来符文技术的不灭，那点东西根本算不了什么」

Gondo extended his hand.
龚德伸出了手。

Ainz took it.
而安兹则握住了那只手。

“I am undead. Does that sit well with you?”
「我可是不死者，这样也可以吗？」

Gondo laughed at Ainz’s words.
听到安兹的话龚德笑了出来。

“As long as you can make my dream come true, I don’t care if Your Majesty is undead or the fearsome King of the Frost Dragons.”
「只要能给老夫实现梦想的机会，无论是陛下这样的不死者也好，还是那恐怖的霜龙[Frost·Dragon]之王也好都没有问题」

“Then, can you lead us to the Dwarven Kingdom first? I plan to sign a treaty of friendship with the Dwarven King in order to recruit runesmiths for my country. After all, it would be difficult to recruit people if our countries have no ties between them. In addition, I believe the Dwarven Kingdom has strict controls on the outflow of technology, am I correct?”
「那么，首先可以带我们前往矮人国吗？为了招募符文工匠去我国，我打算和国王会面缔结友好条约。毕竟要是连国家间的交流都不曾有，就想要招募符文工匠的话怕是会产生严重的问题吧。另外矮人国对于技术的流出有严格的管理吗？」

“That should be fine. There’s hardly any demand for runecraft. Ah, also, the Dwarven Kingdom no longer has a King. The country is led by a regent council headed by several masterminds.”
「那应该是没有问题吧。对于符文技术已经没有什么需求了。啊，另外现在的矮人国已经没有国王了。现在国家是由几名首脑所组成的摄政会来运营的」

“Umu. I’d like to hear about that. Can you talk as we walk? I’d like to hear a rough outline of it.”
「哼唔。关于那个倒是很想听听详细情况呢。边走边说也没有问题，可以大致给我说说吗？」

As Gondo spoke to him, the exit to the tunnel finally appeared before their eyes.
从表示同意的龚德那里听取了各种信息后，坑道的出口也终于看见在了眼前。

After the three of them emerged, they were welcomed by Shalltear, among others. Naturally, Zenberu was there as well.
三人走出来后，恭候在那里的自然是以夏提雅为中心的一行人。当然泽贝尔也在其中。

Although Gondo had been expecting a mass of undead, he could not help but take a defensive stance as he saw the magical beasts as well. The fact that “there are no Dark Elves” had already dealt him a blow, but now his mumbling reached Ainz’s ears.
虽然龚德早有觉悟会有一堆不死者，但当他看到还有一群魔兽时还是不禁摆出了架势。不如说
「没有暗精灵」这件事令他受到了打击，他的喃喃自语也传入了安兹的耳中。

Shalltear quietly stepped forward and bowed.
夏提雅静静地站出来行了一礼。

“Ainz-sama. Forgive us for bothering you just as you returned, but there is a slight problem.”
「安兹大人。很抱歉在您刚回来的时候就要麻烦你，稍微，出了点问题」

“...Where are the rest of the Hanzos? What happened?”
「……半蔵的人数不够啊。发生了什么？」

“Yes! Actually, someone else entered this cave, through the tunnel where Aura guided you. My deepest apologies for only telling you now, but I have already sent some of the Hanzos to investigate.”
「是！其实就在刚才有人侵入了这个洞穴，就从刚才亚乌菈带到的那栋建筑里开着的坑道里。很抱歉现在才向您报告，不过我已经派一部分的半蔵去侦查了」

“There’s no need to apologize, Shalltear. You chose wisely. We’ll wait for the Hanzos to return, analyze their reports, and then decide what to do. Then--”
「没有谢罪的必要。夏提雅，你的行动非常正确。那么等半蔵回来之后，先分析得到情报，再决定行动方针。那么——」

He paused, then glanced at the Dwarf who had once stayed here. The Dwarf was not paying attention to the events on this side. Instead, he was engaged in an animated conversation with Zenberu. Listening closely, it seemed to concern the Dwarf that had saved Zenberu.
暂且，朝都市原居民的矮人瞥了一眼，只见他完全没有在意这边，和泽贝尔热烈交谈着。稍微听了一下，好像是关于泽贝尔恩人的那位矮人。

“--Gondo. Pardon me for a moment, but it seems someone has infiltrated this city. There is a possibility that the use of force will be warranted here. When the time comes, I hope you will serve as a witness to your nation that such a course of action could not be avoided.”
「——龚德啊。打扰一下，看来好像有人侵入了这个都市的样子。有个万一的话可能会在你们这个都市使用武力。到时候希望你能作为证人，向你的国家证明这件事是无可奈何」

“Of course. Leave that to me. Although, I hope you will limit the destruction as much as possible.”
「当然可以。这方面就交给我吧。不过，希望还是尽量不要去破坏」

Ainz nodded. It was only natural to avoid obstacles in regards to future negotiations.
安兹点了点头。会对今后的交涉产生障碍的东西当然要避免。

“Shalltear, how’s our perimeter?”
「夏提雅，周围的警戒做得怎么样了？」

“I’ve already dispersed Aura’s beasts into the vicinity… How’s that, Aura?”
「已经让亚乌菈的魔兽在附近散开了……怎么样，亚乌菈？」

“That should work. Even if the enemy can turn invisible, my beasts can still sniff them out.”
「应该没问题。就算用了不可视化也可以用嗅觉发现」

“I see. Then let’s wait for the Hanzos to return.”
「这样啊。那就等半蔵回来吧」

After a while, they did.
安兹他们等了一会儿后，半蔵就回来了。

According to them, the opposition seemed to be Quagoas. There were over 100 of them. Gondo was listening from the side and seemed quite shocked. This was far in excess of a mere scouting force; in all likelihood, this was a combat group, or a migrating tribe.
根据他们所言，对方好像是掘土兽人的样子。数量很多，有上百只。在旁边听着的龚德很吃惊。这可是相当的数量，远远超出了侦查的需要。应该要想作是一个战斗部队。或者是在移居的一个部族。

There was only one course of action Ainz could take.
在这种情况下安兹能采取的手段只有一个

“...Shalltear. Capture them all. Can you do that?”
「……夏提雅。把它们全部抓住。办得到吗？」

“If that is your command.”
「只要您一声令下」

“Then I command you to do so. Do you understand why I want you to capture them?”
「那我就如此命令你。那么，你明白为什么我要说全部抓住吗？」

“It is to question them and prevent word about us from leaking out.”
「是为了问出情报，以及防止我方的情报泄露出去吧」

Ainz nodded grandly.
安兹大大地点了点头。

“Correct. If we only capture one of them alive, then we can only interrogate one of them. This increases the chance that we might be compromised and that we might end up learning false information. In addition, we must consider that we may need to make an example of them.”
「没错。只活捉了一只的情况下，就只能从那一只审问情报。这时情报漏出和伪造的可能性就会变高。另外也需要考虑到杀鸡儆猴的情况，吧」

There was one more thing Ainz did not mention because Gondo was there -- that simply believing one side of the story might turn out poorly for them. Who knew, it might be better to strike a deal with the Quagoa than the Dwarves.
而且虽然因为在龚德的面前所以没有说出口，但盲信单方面说的话可是会吃亏的。有可能比起和矮人们打交道，和掘土兽人那边会更有利。

“Go then, Shalltear. I await your good news.”
「去吧，夏提雅。我等着你的好消息」

***

Shalltear and her underlings picked up the pace as they headed towards the location of the Quagoa. They leapt from roof to roof at breakneck speeds. Since she was already in armor, she did not have to worry about the several layers of breast pads within her clothing.
夏提雅和她的亲信们一起正加快脚步赶到掘土兽人出现的地方。在屋顶之间跳跃，飞速地奔跑着。既然已经穿上了铠甲，也就不用担心衣服里那叠了好几层的胸垫了。

She glanced back at Aura, who was following from behind.
向后确认了下跟来的亚乌菈。

The fact that she was being followed by a Guardian -- who was supposed to stay by her Master’s side -- was proof that he did not trust her.
本来应该待在主人身边警戒的守护者跟在了自己身后，这就是自己没有被信赖的证据吧。

That was only natural.
这也是自然。

She might not remember her failure, but she had heard the details from others.
尽管没有关于自己失误的记忆，但发生了什么还是听说了的。

Although her compassionate Master had said “Shalltear, you did nothing wrong”, that could not possibly be true. Thus, she had been waiting for a chance to scrub away the stink of failure from herself, but sadly that chance had not come.
虽然温柔的主人说了「这不是夏提雅的错」，但那是不可能的。正因为如此她一直等待能洗刷污名的机会，但遗憾的是至今为止这样的机会都没有来。

Aura might have comforted her, but Shalltear did not seek that sort of thing.
尽管亚乌菈安慰了自己，但夏提雅寻求的并不是那样的东西。

Shalltear looked ahead, her gaze full of strength. She would not allow herself to make any mistakes on this journey.
夏提雅看向前方，强烈地瞪着。这次的旅途自己一次都不能失败，这样。

Before long, they reached a building near their objective. Shalltear looked down on the Quagoa from its roof.
不久，到达离目的地还有一些的距离的建筑物上，夏提雅俯视着掘土兽人们。

There were many silhouettes visible, of the kind that the Hanzos had described.
从建筑上可以看到数只半蔵所说的那个种族的身影。

“Now then -- what shall I do…”
「那么——怎么做好呢」

Shalltear thought.
夏提雅思考着。

Aura should have heard what she said, but Aura merely folded her arms, intent on remaining silent. That too, was expected. Before Aura had come here, her Master gave her an order: “Keep an eye on Shalltear’s movements. If she looks like she’s about to begin massacring them, make her stop by any means, even if you have to hit her. Apart from that, you are not to interfere with Shalltear’s battle plans.”
应该有听到自己所说的吧，不过后面站着的亚乌菈只是抱着胳膊、没有打算说些什么的样子。这也正常。来这里之前亚乌菈从主人那里接到的命令是「监视夏提雅的行动，倘若她想要开杀戒的话就算用揍的也要揍停她。除此以外，不允许插嘴夏提雅的作战」

Shalltear had also been told that Aura would merely observe from behind, and she was not to be used in any combat operations. In other words, the entire operation, from planning to execution, was solely Shalltear’s responsibility.
夏提雅也从主人那里接到，亚乌菈只会在后面看着，不允许将她安排在作战里，这样的命令。也
就是说从作战的立案到实施都必须由夏提雅独自一人进行。

Firstly, she had to perfectly and elegantly fulfil her Master’s orders.
首先在这里，要把自己主人的命令完美地、漂亮地完成。

She unclenched her fists.
放松紧握着的拳头

“Hanzos.”
「——半蔵」

“Yes!”
「是！」

The ninja-costumed minions gathered before her.
身着忍者装的下仆咻地窜了出来。

“I want to make sure that none of them escape. Can you verify that there’s nobody else in the tunnel?”
「为了那些家伙一个也逃不出去，能确认坑道中已经没有其他人员了吗？」

“Certainly. We await your command.”
「没问题。只要您下命」

As expected of her Master’s minions. Their enemy would have no means of retreat now. The next thing she had to worry about was if the enemy was scattered throughout the city. Of course, she could take some time to hunt down and root them all out, but she wanted to avoid wasting time. While her Master had not given her a time limit, wasting too much time was proof of incompetence.
不愧是自己主人召唤的下仆啊。这下敌人的退路就没了。接下来不得不想定的对策就是，敌人四散隐藏在这个都市里的时候了。当然，花点时间搜索的话就能找出全部人，不过还是想避免浪费时间。虽然主人没有固定时间，但太花时间有时也是也会成为无能的一种证明。

“Alright. I’ll do that.”
「那么，这样好了」

Shalltear relayed the details of the plan she had thought up on the way here.
夏提雅将自己过来途中想好的作战传达了下去。

She would surround the enemy, and then disable everyone within the perimeter.
把周围围起来，再以包饺子的形式令对方无力化。

In other words, she would use the Hanzos to cut off their retreat, then compact them into a mass before taking them all out in one blow.
也就是说这是以遮断退路的半蔵作为墙壁包围，再把它们塞起来击碎的力气活。

Granted, this plan was a little dangerous, given that she did not know the abilities of the opposition. However, if the enemy had the power to kill Shalltear and the Hanzos, the Dwarven Kingdom could not possibly have survived so long.
虽然考虑到对方能力不明，这个作战多少还是有点危险。但如果对方拥有足以杀死夏提雅和半蔵的力量的话，那么和它们敌对的矮人国也不可能会存活至今的吧。

Well, provided that Dwarf Gondo was not especially weak.
只要那个叫龚德的矮人不是特别弱的话。

After dispatching the Hanzos, Shalltear counted out three minutes. She had to do so because she had no means of communicating with the Hanzos.
送出半蔵后，夏提雅慢慢地数了3分钟，因为没有和半蔵联络的手段，所以只能这样核对时间来行动。

Fortunately, the Quagoa seemed to have circled their wagon around a building, with no intentions of dispersing.
幸运的是掘土兽人们只是以建筑为中心摆了阵型，没有要散开的样子。

“Let’s start. Begin as ordered; keep them from escaping into the surrounding area.”
「开始吧。先按照命令那样，妨碍它们向周围逃窜那样行动吧」

After giving orders to the undead she had brought along, Shalltear ran along the rooftops, and then she leapt in front of the Quagoa. At the same time, her undead landed around them.
向带来的不死者下令后，夏提雅沿着建筑物的屋顶奔跑，最后大大地跳起落到掘土兽人们的面前。同时不死者们也同样地降落到周围。

They had taken control of all the major thoroughfares around the building. The Quagoas’ routes of retreat were almost completely cut off.
以这个建筑物为中心，压制住主要通道，掘土兽人们的逃跑路线就几乎被完全封锁了。

Shalltear sensed their confusion, and she cast a spell long before they could recover.
清楚意识到掘土兽人们混乱的夏提雅，在他们恢复之前就早早地发动了魔法。

“[Mass Hold Species].”
「<集团全种族束缚>[Mass Hold Species]」

As she had expected, her opponents were not high level. Many of the Quagoa stopped moving, frozen in place.
和想象的一样，对手的等级并不高。复数的掘土兽人停了下来，僵在那里。

Those Quagoa who had not entered the spell’s area of effect managed to recover from their confusion, but none of them attempted to attack Shalltear. She had appeared out of nowhere and used a spell they had never seen before to pin down their comrades. Even the choice of fighting or fleeing must have been very hard for them.
没进入魔法范围内的掘土兽人虽然从混乱中恢复了过来，但想要攻击夏提雅的却一个也没有。突然出现，并用从没见过的魔法将同伴给控制住，它们大概连要战斗、还是逃跑都很难选择吧。

Shalltear smiled thinly.
夏提雅淡淡的露出了笑容。

It would seem the conclusion she had reached from observing them, that of centering the spell on an outstanding-looking Quagoa -- for now known as the commander -- had been a worthwhile one.
从上面观察后得出的结论，以一副了不起的掘土兽人——暂称指挥官——为中心施放魔法，看来似乎是有价值的。

“[Mass Hold Species].”
「<集团全种族捕缚>」

She cast the same spell again, and now even the fleeing Quagoa were neutralized.
再次发动相同的魔法，这么一来往外跑的人也全都被无力化了。

“Close in!”
「缩小包围！」

In response to Shalltear’s shouted orders, the surrounding undead shrank their perimeter.
在夏提雅大声喊叫下，周围展开的不死者们将包围圈缩小。

The Quagoa within the building heard Shalltear shout and sensed the abnormality in their comrades, but it was far too late for them.
建筑物内部因察觉了夏提雅的大喊和外面同伴的异常而变的骚动，但也已经太迟了。

Just as she was about the smile sadistically, Shalltear clapped her cheeks. She could not be careless. Her failure in the past was most likely because of that.
就要她想要浮现出虐待狂的笑容时，夏提雅以像是夹住的方式拍了拍自己的脸颊，不能够大意，过去的自己恐怕就是因为这样才会失败的吧。

After recovering her composure, Shalltear stormed the building. While breaking through a window would have given her the element of surprise, she considered the effort of breaking through and decided on going straight through the door instead, using herself as bait.
做出重生后的夏提雅的表情、快速闯入建筑物中，从窗户之类的地方闯入能够出其不意吧，但考虑到打破窗户所需的功夫的话，判断就这样直接从入口突入，作为诱饵的方法也不错。

The waiting Quagoa swiped their claws at Shalltear over and over again.
早已等待着的掘土兽人挥舞它们的爪子接连不断朝向夏提雅发动攻击。

Three in front of me, four deeper within, nobody who looks like a commander. I should take their attacks and verify their strength.
（眼前、三只——深处有四只，没有像是司令官的人。考虑今后的事，这里应该承受攻击来确认对方的能力呢）

Shalltear did not avoid their attacks, but bore the brunt of the Quagoa offensive.
夏提雅并没有回避攻击，而是承受住了掘土兽人的攻击。

As expected, she was unhurt.
果然没有受到伤害。

Shalltear could only take damage from magical silver weapons. Some high-level monsters had natural attacks which counted as magic, while others had attacks which counted as silver, but those were very rare in low-level monsters.
夏提雅只有受到寄宿魔法的银属性武器之类的攻击时才会产生伤害，有些高位的怪物后肉身的攻击也寄宿者魔力，有的也会持有银之类的属性，但是在低等级的怪物中这就很稀有了。

While she might have expected this, the Quagoa were taken aback. As though unable to believe what they were seeing, the surrounding Quagoa clawed at her, but to no avail.
虽然对夏提雅来说这与预料相同，但对于掘土兽人来说可就是惊愕的事态了。包围夏提雅的掘土兽人们彷佛无法置信一般、无数地挥舞着爪子，但是结果却没有任何改变。

“Alright, the experiment’s over. Shall we end here? [Mass Hold Species].”
「好了好了，实验结束。能就到这里为止吗？<集团全种族捕缚>」

As the spell was cast, all the Quagoa present stopped moving.
放出魔法，在场所有的掘土兽人们都停止动作。

“Now then, next up.”
「那么、接下来」

Shalltear looked around and saw the Quagoa in the next room through the remains of a broken door. Their wide eyes held the emotion she most loved -- fear.
夏提雅的头环绕一圈，在成了残骸的门的另一方，与下一个房间里的掘土兽人们的视线相遇。张得大大的眼瞳中寄宿着夏提雅最喜爱的情感——恐怖。

As Shalltear’s stride brought her forward, the Quagoa clambered over themselves to flee her.
夏提雅的步伐要前进的瞬间、掘土兽人们便争先恐后的转身逃跑。

However, they were too slow. To Shalltear, they were as slow as slugs. She resisted the impulse to give voice to mocking laughter, and instead cast her spell at their backs.
但是、实在是太慢了。对夏提雅来说只觉得是有如蛞蝓一般的速度，忍着快要发出的嘲笑，夏提雅对那背后发出了魔法。

There would be no escape.
不能放跑一只。

Shalltear would not tolerate any slipups.
夏提雅不允许有任何失态。

Now that all the Quagoa within the building had been captured, she entered the tunnel and found six Quagoa by the feet of the Hanzos. Given the faint movements from their bodies, it would seem that they were still alive. Shalltear then asked the Hanzos:
在建筑物中的掘土兽人全员都已经被拘束，就这样进入坑道内，发现半藏的脚边倒着约六只的掘土兽人，从那躯体仍有些微动作的情况来看，确认应该还活着的夏提雅向半藏问道。

“Now then, are these the Quagoa who tried to flee?”
「那么、这些就是想要从这里逃走的掘土兽人们吗？」

“Yes. Nobody else managed to escape through here.”
「是，没有其他从这里逃走的人」

Since Shalltear had not let anyone get away, one could consider her mission to have been perfectly accomplished.
夏提雅没有让任何人逃掉，这样工作就算是完美的完成了吧。

“Just in case, go make sure there’s nobody else lying in wait within the building. After that, have the undead who are bringing them in carry these Quagoa out. You can tell the undead to bind them with ropes, right? I’ll wait here until you finish searching the interior and see if anyone else is trying to make a run for it.”
「以防万一，去确认建筑内部是否还有潜伏着的人，然后叫那些在外面进行逮捕作业的不死者将室内的掘土兽人们运出去，能够对那些不死者下达用绳索绑缚的指示吗？我在你结束建筑物内的搜索之前会在这里待机，监视是否有逃走的人」

After receiving Shalltear’s orders, the Hanzos picked up the Quagoa on the grounds and returned to the building. They returned to Shalltear after two minutes had passed.
接受夏提雅命令的半藏将倒地的掘土兽人抬起、回到建筑物。当他再度回到夏提雅前面是两分钟之后的事。

Having flawlessly completed her task, Shalltear emerged from the building, where she saw many bound Quagoa and the forms of Ainz, Aura, the Hanzos, the Dwarf and Zenberu.
完美地完成了工作的夏提雅从建筑物走到外面，那里有着众多被绳索绑住的掘土兽人们以及安兹的身影，在旁边还有亚乌菈、半藏、矮人以及蜥蜴人的身影。

“Well done, Shalltear. It seems you didn’t let anyone escape and accomplished your mission.”
「做得好、夏提雅。看来没有让任何人逃脱，就达成使命了啊」

“Yes! Thank you very much, Ainz-sama!”
「是！非常感谢您、安兹大人！！」

“Now then, Shalltear, I shall give you your next order. Interrogate these people, but do your best not to hurt them.”
「那么夏提雅哟，就给你下一个命令吧。从这些人嘴里撬出情报，可能的话尽量不要使他们受
伤、哦」

“Understood.”
「遵命」

To begin with, she ordered the undead to drag out one of the Quagoa who had been captured with magic -- in other words, one of the first captives.
首先是被解除了魔法——最初被捕获——其中一只掘土兽人，命令不死者将它拖出来。

“Hiiiiii! Save me!”
「唏咿！救救我！」

“Hehe, well, if you’re honest, I won’t kill you. If you’re honest. First things first, who’s the greatest of you people here?”
「哼哼，如果老实回答的话不会杀了你。前提是老实的话、呢。首先在这里最了不起的是谁？」

“Him, the one with the streaks of blue in his fur.”
「是那位，那个毛色中有少许蓝色的」

“You son of a bitch! You sold me out!”
「你这家伙！竟然多嘴！」

The one shouting back did seem to have a faint hint of blue in his pelt.
被喊到的对象确实看起来有些混入蓝色的感觉。

“Okay, okay, don’t fight. Then, can you bring him to me? Send this one back.”
「好了好了，不要吵架。那么，能把那个带到这里来吗？这个回去」

The highest ranking Quagoa was carried out before her.
作为交换被带来是这里地位最高的掘土兽人。

“Hmph! You must be a friend of the Dwarves! I’ll never talk! I’ll stake the pride of my race on it!”
「哼恩！似乎是矮人的亲近种族吧，我可是什么都不会说哦！即使赌上我的部族的荣耀！」

“Really now. All right, then. [Charm Species]. All right, can you answer my questions?”
「是吗，那这样好了吧。<全种族魅惑>[Charm·Species]，行了，那么能回答我的问题了吗？」

“Ahh, of course! What do you want to know?”
「啊啊、当然，你想知道什么？」

The Quagoa behind him could not help but gasp at his earnestness.
对于这老实的回话，后面的掘土兽人们不禁漏出惊讶的喘声。

Charm magic caused the target to regard the caster as a trusted friend or colleague. However, since friends would not tell friends to kill or hurt themselves, the targets would not obey orders which would result in such. Also, the term “friend” was also a bottleneck of sorts; there were secrets which people would keep even from their friends, so this magic would be ineffective at winkling out such information. If that were the case, more powerful mind control spells would be needed. However, such measures did not appear to be necessary this time round, a fact for which Shalltear thanked her luck.
魅惑的魔法，对于被施放的对象来说，是能够将施术者置于强烈信任的朋友或是同辈的地位的一种魔法。因此会造成死亡或是严重受伤之类、朋友不会做出的命令是不会遵守的。而且友人这点也是一种瓶颈，就算是非常信任的同伴也存在着不能够说出的秘密的情报，所以有时候这个魔法也有无法问出的情报。在那种情况下就只能够使用更为强力的精神支配的魔法。但是这次似乎没有必要的样子，夏提雅为自己的幸运献上了感谢。

“Firstly, are you really the greatest one here?”
「首先是、你真的是这里面最了不起的吗？」

“Ahhh, I was appointed the leader of this group. Oi, quiet down there, she’s a friend so it’s fine to tell her. Ah, could you keep that a secret?”
「啊啊，我被任命为这支队伍的指挥官。喂、你们有点吵哦，对于朋友的她没有什么说出了就不妙的事情吧，啊、你能够保密的吧？」

“Of course. We’re friends, aren’t we?”
「当然了，我们不是朋友吗？」

“Ahhh, yes, we are, I’ll trust you, then. Still, those guys… Especially that guy, is he undead?”
「啊啊、是的呢，我很信任你哦。但是、那些家伙啊……。特别是那个，是不死者吧？」

The Quagoa stared at Shalltear’s glorious master. It annoyed her, but she had to bear with it to extract information from him.
掘土兽人瞪着夏提雅伟大的主人，虽然感到不快，但为了提取出情报不得不忍耐。

“It’s all right. We’re friends so you’ll believe me, right?”
「没问题哟。朋友的我都这么说了你当然会相信的吧」

“Is he your minion?”
「该不会是你使役的吧？」

I’ll fucking kill you, Shalltear almost said. However, she swallowed those words. That was because her master spoke before she could.
宰了你哦、差点将这话脱口说了出来。但是、将那一口气忍耐吞下。因为自己的主人在那之前就开了口。

“That’s right. She is my mistress.”
「没错，她是我的主人」

“Ho, that’s my friend for you, you’re amazing.”
「嚯喔，不愧是我的朋友，真厉害啊」

“Th-thank you.”
「谢、谢谢你」

Shalltear agonized over these complex feelings, which she could not put into words. Although she wanted to roll around on the floor, she could not waste the loving assistance which her Master had given her.
苦恼着这无以言喻的复杂感情，虽然心情上很想要在地上滚着转，但难得从主人那边来的援护可不能将其平白浪费。

The Quagoa commander fell into deep thought, and the Quagoa behind him went, “What happened?” “What’s going on?” “Are we the only ones who don’t know that she’s a friend” and so on. However, the Quagoa commander ignored them, and a twisted look dawned on his face, which was probably a smile.
掘土兽人指挥官认真地沉思，后面的掘土兽人们口中发出「怎么回事？」「发生什么？」「只是我们不知道但她真的是亲友吗？」之类的疑问投了过来，但掘土兽人指挥官无视那一切疑问，最终掘土兽人指挥官的露出了扭曲的表情，大概是笑容吧。

“I get it. Since you say so, I’ll believe you. After all, we’re comrades joined by a firm bond of friendship, aren’t we?”
「我知道了，既然你都这么说的话就相信你吧，毕竟我们可是缔结了坚定友谊的同伴啊」

Shalltear snorted.
夏提雅以鼻发出嗤笑。

“Then, could you speak loudly enough that the people behind me can hear? Who are you people? What are you doing in this city?”
「那么能以我身后的人也听得到的音量说话吗？你们是什么人？为什么来到这座都市呢？」

Normally speaking, they should have been suspicious that a friend did not know this. However, this was magic and she didn’t need to explain shit. The Quagoa commander replied without raising any doubts.
明明是朋友怎么什么都不知道啊、照理说应该都会有一些这类的疑问才是，然而魔法就是如此的伟大。掘土兽人指挥官丝毫不觉得有问题的做出了回答。

“We’re scouts for the invasion force. We came here to kill the Dwarves which might have fled to this city.”
「我们是攻略军的别动队，是为了将说不定会逃进了这座街道的矮人们杀死而来的」

“Say what?!” the Dwarf exclaimed in shock. “What, what does that mean?”
「你说啥？」矮人发出惊讶的声音。「那、那是什么意思」

“Shut up and keep quiet, stunty. Filthy races like yours should be exterminated.”
「少啰嗦、矮人，给我稍微安静点。像你这样不干净的种族早早灭了才好」

“Alright, alright, that’s about enough. You were saying something about an invasion force?”
「好了好了，差不多就到这里吧，那么所说的攻略军是？」

“Ahhh, sorry, I seem to have gotten a little over-excited. There’s a Dwarven city north of here. The invasion force was raised to destroy that city. The problem is that the suspension bridge over the great fissure is protected by a fortress, so our attacks have always been defeated. However, we’ve found a shortcut that bypasses the fissure and runs alongside the fortress, so we’re planning to use that to wipe them out in one fell swoop.”
「啊啊、抱歉呢，有点兴奋了。从这里往北边走的地方还有座矮人都市，攻略军是为了歼灭那个都市的军势。虽然至今由于架在大裂缝的吊桥被要塞保护的缘故，进攻总是遭到击退。但是，我们发现了绕过大裂缝、通往要塞侧面的路径，所以预定使用那个将其一口气击溃」

Shalltear narrowed her eyes at the Dwarf. His expression looked ghastly. Apparently this was very bad news.
夏提雅将眼睛瞄过矮人时，他的脸色非常难看，看来是非常不妙的事吧。

“When will the attack come?”
「然后预定是什么时候进攻呢？」

“We’re a detached force, we split off from the main body so we don’t know the exact time. But I think it should be today, or maybe tomorrow.”
「我们是分队，从本队分离过来这里，所以不知道正确的时间，但是我认为大概在今天、或是明天左右吧」

Shalltear overheard the conversation between her master and the Dwarf.
夏提雅的耳中传来了主人和矮人的对话。

“That said, will the city actually fall if the suspension bridge is taken?”
「虽然说是那样，但只是夺取那座吊桥都市就会陷落吗？」

“I’m not sure, but I’ve heard that since the enemy needs to use the bridge, they have to focus their attacks on the fortress. Thus, we can use the magic items within the fortress to repulse them. However, if the fortress is taken, the enemy will have a clear path to the city, and it’ll be hard to stop the advance of a large army. If that happens, we might have to abandon the city as well, but if we’re attacked then, the Dwarven race might be wiped out.”
「不清楚。但是，听说因为活用了吊桥的关系，所以会受敌人进攻的地方就只有一处而已、然后再用要塞中的魔法道具加以击退。可如果要塞被夺走的话到都市为止是一直线、要阻止大军的进攻是很困难的吧。那样的话确实有可能会放弃都市跑来这里也不一定，如果在这里遭到伏击的话，矮人可就全灭了啊」

The Quagoa commander chuckled evilly as he heard their conversation.
掘土兽人指挥官也听到了两人的对话吧，库库库地发出邪恶的笑声。

“So are you the only detached group?”
「那么别动队就只有你们而已吗？」

“We’re the only ones who were sent here. We don’t know how strong the Dwarven city is or how many men we’ll need, so they took most of our people.”
「来到这里的是这样没错，因为不知道矮人的都市有多么坚固、要多少士兵才足够，被那边带走了大半的士兵」

“Ain--eh, ah, then, then, is there anything you want to ask?”
「安——诶、这、那、那么还有什么其他想问的吗？」

I can’t say Ainz-sama, Shalltear fretted as she tried to piece her next words together.
不说出安兹大人、夏提雅费心思地组织着语言。

“...There’s not much else. Strictly speaking, we only need to know how to communicate with their main body or something similar.”
「……也没什么了。硬要说的话也只有是否有什么与本队取得联络的手段之类、的吧」

After Shalltear repeated her Master’s question, the charmed commander babbled like a brook.
重复从主人传来的质问后，被魅惑的指挥官口若悬河般的说了起来。

“Nope, our mission wasn’t seen as very important. In the end, our job was just to hunt down anyone who fled.”
「没有，我们的使命并没被多么重视，终究是狩猎逃亡者程度的任务」

Shalltear looked back to her Master, who nodded to her.
看向主人那边，见到主人点了点头

“How should we deal with them?”
「要如何处分呢？」

“...Gondo, I’m sorry about this, but can you prepare to travel?”
「……龚德哟，很抱歉，能够开始做动身的准备了吗？」

The Lizardman and Dwarf understood the meaning behind those words, so they turned and left in silence. Ainz watched them leave, and gave Shalltear her next orders.
理解那句话中所含的意义、蜥蜴人和矮人默默地转身离去。目送了他们背影后安兹向夏提雅下达了命令。

“...Then, let’s go. Shalltear, send them all back to Nazarick. They are to be observed. Whether they are to be killed or spared depends on the kind of relationship we forge with the Quagoa. Do not kill them until they are fully hostile to us. However, order some light experiments to be conducted. The hardness of their claws, the physical and magical resistance of their bodies, that sort of thing. Although, some of them might die as a result… Order them to minimize the number of casualties.”
「……那么、走了呢。夏提雅，将他们全员送往纳萨力克，传令在那里进行监视，是否杀掉视今后与掘土兽人们之间建立什么样的关系而定，完全敌对之前不要杀害。但是，传令稍微进行点实验。爪的硬度、魔法和物理耐性之类的肉体能力。在那个过程中也许会死吧……跟他们说尽量限制死者的数量」

“Understood.”
「遵命」

Shalltear immediately cast her [Gate], opening a portal to the surface of Nazarick.
夏提雅马上起动<转移门>，开启通往纳萨力克地表部分的门。

“Come, you lot get in here.”
「来、你们几个进到这里面去」

Led by the Quagoa commander, the others followed him in one after the other. Some of the Quagoa stood in place, frozen by fear, but Shalltear simply picked them up and chucked them through the [Gate].
掘土兽人指挥官率先进入后，其他的人也陆续跟着进入。虽然也有几只因为害怕而站立着的掘土兽人，但那些则都被夏提雅抬起、扔进了<转移门>。

After sending them all through, Shalltear briefly returned to Nazarick as well. She repeated her master’s orders to the Old Guarders standing by there, and then returned through the still-open [Gate].
将全员送出后，夏提雅也一时返回了纳萨力克。然后复述从主人那里得到的命令，给在那里的待命资深骸骨卫兵[Old Guarder]，然后从一直开启的<转移门>回来。

Beyond it was Shalltear’s Master. His arms were crossed and he seemed to be waiting for her.
在那里等待的是交叉着双臂、似乎正在等待夏提雅的主人。

“Your collection of information was very thorough, Shalltear.”
「你的情报搜集很完美啊、夏提雅」

The first thing he said was to praise her! Shalltear’s flat chest surged with heat.
开口第一句、就得到称赞的话语、夏提雅平坦的胸脯中涌现出热意。

“Yes!”
「是！！」

Shalltear reflexively got to her knees. That was the only appropriate position to take in response to her Master’s praise.
夏提雅不经思索就当场跪下，对于主人的话语所能够表达的态度也就只有如此了。

“--Mm, umu. I look forward to your loyal service in the future.”
「——呃、唔嗯。今后也期待你的忠勤」

“I understand, Ainz-sama!!”
「遵命！安兹大人！！」

“Don’t stay like that. Stand up. We’ll need to discuss things with Gondo. ...This is a chance to have them owe us a big favor.”
「不要一直维持那种姿势、站起来，得快点和龚德商量呢。……这可是个能大卖人情的机会啊」

“How fortunate. Ainz-sama, your actions seem to be blessed.”
「实在是幸运啊，安兹大人的行动简直就像是受到了祝福」

Their gazes met, and they smiled.
两人相视而笑。

Granted, her Master’s face did not move, but Shalltear was absolutely certain that he was smiling.
说是如此主人的表情没法动作，但夏提雅就是有着那绝对是笑容的自信。

“Then, let’s go.”
「那么我们走吧」

“Yes!”
「是！」

Mmmm~ This is great! The two of us, walking side by side… Haaa, I’m so happy.
（呜—！太棒了！两人并排走路什么的……哈啊，好幸福。）

Shalltear left the building as she savored the taste of happiness.
夏提雅一边品味着幸福一边走出建筑物。

“Gondo, sorry for the wait. What do you want to do now?”
「龚德哟，让你久等了。之后要怎么做？」

“Would anything we do even make a difference… It takes about six days to travel underground to the city. It’s too far for us to bring that information back to the city.”
「如何做或怎么做都没有办法吧……。从这里通过地下行走的话大概需要六天，要将现在入手的情报带回去的话路程太过于遥远了」

Shalltear’s slightly slack face tensed up, and as she exchanged glances with Aura, her Master and the Dwarf began their discussion. She strove to memorize it so she could record it into her memo pad.
夏提雅绷紧了有点松弛的面孔、在弹回亚乌菈那里来的诧异视线的期间，主人和矮人开始了讨论。之后要写入记事本里，留心将说话拚命地默背下来。

Since he was her glorious Master, he probably intended to crush the Dwarf’s heart into utter submission. Either that, or he would fasten a heavy shackle around his neck and ensure that he would never betray him. Something like that.
因为是伟大的主人，很可能是打算在这里让那个矮人的内心完全屈服。又或是在他的脖子上锁上厚重的锁链不让他背叛吧，一定是打算这么做的。

“Is that so? Well, since you can’t make it there in time, what’s there to be done? If that’s the case, why not come to my country? You can’t do anything by yourself either, right?”
「是吗，那样的话可赶不上呢，该如何？就这样来我的国家来吗？就算你一个人回去也做不了什么吧？」

“Mmm… umu.”
「唔、唔嗯」

“Although, I’d like to save the runesmiths… but even if we rushed there to help them, could we maintain an advantageous position during negotiations? Are the Dwarves a species that appreciates kindness shown to them?”
「只有符文工匠也好想让他们避难……但就算我们赶去救援，在交涉的时候能够处于有利的地位吗？你们矮人是能好好的感受到恩义的种族吗？」

“Umu, I hope you can believe that. If you save the Dwarves from the threat of the Quagoa, I’m sure the negotiations will go well.”
「唔嗯，希望汝能够相信。如果能够从掘土兽人的威胁中保护矮人的话，交涉绝对能够有利进行的才对」

“If that’s the case, then we’ll need to pick the right time to step in.”
「是这样的话，就有算计好时机的必要了啊」

After her Master made his experimental declaration, the Dwarf shrugged, as though to say he was alright with anything.
伟大的主人试探性的告知之后，矮人以像是什么都好的态度耸了耸肩。

“I have already accepted your… Your Majesty’s commission.”
「老夫以已经是接收了汝的……魔导王陛下的提案之身了」

Shalltear had no idea what those words meant, but for some reason, she knew that the Dwarf had chosen her Master over his race.
这话到底是什么意思对夏提雅来说并不清楚，但不知为何她却能够明白这个矮人比起同族更是选择了主人这件事

Shalltear was both awed and frightened by the fact that her Master had managed to utterly dominate the soul of this Dwarf during the brief period in which he had entered the tunnel.
明明与矮人相会也不过只有进入坑道至今的短暂时间，但却已经支配了其心灵的主人让夏提雅不禁感到了畏怖。

It must have been this charisma which enabled him to lead and coordinate the Supreme Beings.
正是因为有着这般魅力，所以过去才能担任得起至高存在的调解者吧。

“...No, I guess we ought to make haste. After all, we want to avoid the deaths of the runesmiths, and there’s no telling what will happen if we go underground, so we shall proceed from the outside. Can I trust you to guide us?”
「……不，果然还是应该尽快吧。毕竟想要避免符文工匠的牺牲啊，在地下前进的话不清楚会发生什么，所以从外面走哦。路线指引就交给你没问题吧？」

“I’m not very confident, but I shall do my best.”
「虽然没有什么自信，但老夫尽力为之吧」

“Alright, then prepare to move out!”
「好，那么立刻做好出发的准备！」